IOYA : Oromo Youth Leadership Conference Registration

In the past year, movements and revolutions have erupted in Northern Africa and the Middle East to peacefully challenge terrorism, violence, and dictatorial politics. What has ignited from these events are conversations, debates, and a sort of excitement about the liberation potential of people living under oppressive conditions.

What we, the International Oromo Youth Association (IOYA), plan to provide at the 2011 Oromo Youth Leadership Conference (OYLC) is a platform upon which Oromo youth in the Diaspora can learn about, discuss, and relate these recent events to what the Oromo people are facing and what potential the Oromo youth have. What can we do as youth in the Diaspora? OYLC 2011 will be having workshops and speakers geared towards this question and the current events.

Within this context of activism and liberation and at this moment in our history, in order for the Oromo Diaspora to work most effectively amongst the context of current events, we believe that it is critical to engage in cross-generational communication and collaboration among Oromo youth, elders, and leaders. OYLC 2011 will be hosting a program where all major representatives of Oromo religious, political, and academic organizations will sit down with Oromo youth only in a first time ever cross-generational dialogue.

We have a lot to offer you this year, and we hope you will attend. Space is extremely limited, so please register as soon as possible.